I have felt her tummy very gently before and there doesn't seem to be any lumps, it seems quite squidgy like I thought females were meant to be. Thanks for advice on Vaseline.

Frances, don't you dare give up on her! She's not going to give up on you too. You are one of the best fishkeepers I know, so keep persevering, something will work soon.

I can sort of understand how distraught you must be feeling now though, I'll never forget the day I found my little moor all torn and battered lying in a plant thinking she was gone.

If she is coming right and still had her appetite then these are good signs, it means she's fighting whatever it is and trying to overcome it. Remember, antibiotics won't kick in straightaway, and so it may be likely that things get worse before they begin to improve. If she wants to float upside down for now, let her. She'll build her strength back up. When my panda went through her floating episode, as much ad I hated seeing her stuggling at the top or rolling upside down, it was better to see her resting than trying to fight. She came right by herself eventually.

When you say Ziggi rights herself, is this like my Gilly, where I went to bed with her stuck at the top then she was ok the following morning, or do you mean she can just flip back over?

What's your nitrATE and pH readings again? And have you tested that nasty tap water of yours recently at all? Just wondering if a tiny flucutation in any of these levels might worsen the symptoms in such a sensitive fish.

I know I'm clutching at straws here, but I really want Ziggi to get better for you *hugs* - don't you dare give up!!

Hi Rachel, thanks for the encouragement! She is exactly like Gilly. I have also learnt that if I sit and watch her she just continues to struggle, so I put the lights out last night and this morning when I crept in she was lying sleeping at the bottom. She is swimming about like a normal little fish right now but I don't know how long it will last.

My tap water now has nitrate of 40! And I know this can have an effect. I have an entire 2L DeNitrate from Seachem in my one filter at the minute to try and reduce it at least in the tank. The water is driving me mad. At least the Ph is constant at 7.6, both the water and in the tank.

I decided to only give her a tiny piece of cauliflower and an even tinier piece of shrimp this morning. Last time I did that I saw the effects - all the contents of her stomach came shooting out - by the afternoon. I will start her back on antibiotics this evening, but "Andy-style".

Something has got to work, if only she could survive on love alone!

Sorry to hear of all your problems with Ziggi Frances. I think you should give the antibiotics time to work and then see where things are at. You are such a fantastic fish keeper, you mustn't give up. I know you won't. Thinking of you x

Oh Frances, I'm so sorry to hear of your problems, poor Ziggi. Like others have said, you're a fantastic fishkeeper. We've all seen the lengths you go to to help your fish. Can anyone at GSGB recommend a vet?

Don't give up! xx

Thanks, Miss P and Squish. She is just "chilling" at the bottom today, but I am just going to let her be because she has used a lot of energy trying to get down or two days. She swims up everytime I come near, poor little darling.

I have made the antibiotic food now - third attempt. It will be caked and dry by tonight and then I will give it to her.

A right sorry state: one just lying on the bottom and the other hanging at the top! Oh, and babies displaying spawning behaviour and chasing like mad :(

Sorry nothing to add about immediate problems, just FX for you ...

Don't know if I have posted this recently, this is what sorts out my tap water which is 20-40 ppm nitrate. One filter reduces that to below 10, the other removes chlorine, chloramine and heavy metals etc but does not affect hardness. It does not affect pH of my water although it might in areas with very different KH/pH. I change the filters every 3 months which is excessively cautious, if I am late I use dechlorinator on the water just in case. No good if you are renting somewhere short term though.

http://www.pozzani.co.uk/water-treatm ... ate-157/product_info.html

So is Lenny! He's chasing poor Marilyn like mad. She just sort of bats him out the way

You'll get there Frances, good luck with the anti-biotics xx

Hi Cathie,
I was looking at those. We are not renting and I am seriously considering adding something like that. We asked for a report from our water supplier and our water has failed several times due to insecticides, which really scared me. My only concern was that my tank is upstairs and I didn't really want to fit it in the kitchen and have to lug buckets up the stairs but there may be a way to fit it in the bath room.

Squish, That must be so cute! I really don't want more eggs and water issues right now. I am considering splitting mine, but I don't really want to do it. There are three males and three females, don't know how I managed that.